We cannot repeat ourselves how fantastic we are in situations in which, in effect, we do not shine: the best we can do is accept ourselves that way, with our strengths and weaknesses. Researchers define this ability as "self-indulgence," which means being forgiving of yourself. However, we have been taught that being self-indulgent is an undesirable trait, something that can lead to ruinous behavior, so much so that the famous dictionary American Merriam-Webster defines self-indungence as that "excessive or unbridled gratification of one's appetites, desires or whims ".
With this Psychology-Online article we are going to see what is self indulgence and some examples about.
Index
- Meaning of self-indulgence
- Self-indulgence psychology: positive or negative?
- Examples of self-indulgence
Meaning of self-indulgence.
What is self-indulgence? Self-indulgence literally means self indulgence, that is to say, a habitual or occasional attitude of understanding and benevolence or simply of tolerance.
Self-indulgence is, then, the ability to forgive our mistakes, accept our behaviors and faults; being self-indulgent to ourselves means treat each other with kindness, love and understanding with what we would treat a friend or a child. It should not be confused with self-pity, since this concept is linked to people who feel guilty, avoid criticism and do not accept the truth about themselves.
Next we will see how self-indulgence is considered in psychology, if it is positive or negative, what it is for and on what occasions to use it.
Self-indulgence psychology: positive or negative?
What is the meaning of self-indulgence in psychology? Is it positive or negative?
Be careful how you apply self-indulgence
The downside of self-indulgent behavior is that it can camouflage a deceptive effort to hold positive feelings about yourself: when we indulge ourselves, in fact, we can easily obtain the object of our desire, or try an exciting experience which is not available, but also an almost ecstatic sense of tranquility that before then could be painfully dodge.
The costs associated with this intemperance invariably come later, minor or severe, and can only rarely be avoided. We might discover, for example, that what, thanks to self-indulgence, we have chosen to help us Feeling better has damaged our lungs (for example, nicotine), our liver (for example, the alcohol). We have developed diabetes or heart disease as a result of poor diet or food intake. These are the possible "costs" of negative or misunderstood self-indulgence: the price of our desperate attempt to make us happy (or at least happier than us) because our lives don't satisfy us Really.
Despite misapplied self-indulgence can worsen your health And seriously affect your relationships or your budget, there are also advantages to allowing behaviors that pamper and nurture gently. Self-indulgence is a tool that can help you accept your mistakes and faults. For example, you don't feel humiliated or incompetent if you forget a joke while acting in a play, or if you fail a rigor during a game. Self-indulgence reminds you that you are a human being and that it is natural to make mistakes. Self-esteem alone cannot induce you to acquire this attitude, because it forces you to always be the best; And thus, your inner voice would put you in difficulty, instead of giving you the appropriate load to achieve the objectives you seek.
How can we develop a healthy and indispensable self-indulgence?
It's easy: just dialogue with yourself in a friendly way. It is a technique used, for example, by the Marines when they have to overcome hard training, because It is shown that when you speak with kindness, it improves your cognitive performance, memory and concentration. In this article we talk more about what is self-compassion in psychology.
Examples of self-indulgence.
Who among us has never allowed something and justified himself? Being forgiving means being willing to forgive, understand, sympathize, or punish someone less severely. But when this status is directed at yourself, you can lose the compassionate connotation and take on the meaning of satisfying your desires without feeling guilty.
Self-indulgence is a very common human characteristic. It reminds us that being wrong is human: our mind looks for a way to avoid the point of the situation, adapting and modifying reality at a conceptual level to obtain the result that best suits that moment. Being self-indulgent means treating ourselves with the kindness, caring, and understanding with which we would treat a friend.
Normally, self-indulgence is combined with small vices such as, for example, make an exception when dieting, like a dessert or ice cream; or smoke a cigarette now and then after we have left it, because maybe we are going through a difficult time. Therefore, self-indulgence can also be a form of weakness at times, a force that can have a very negative and destructive value, precisely because it makes us give in to what we consider momentarily adequate to alleviate our wounds and face our frailties, even though we know that it is harmful, for example, to please ourselves, and to continue drinking, smoking or overeating, knowing that it is not good for us, without seeking help.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to What is self-indulgence and examples, we recommend that you enter our category of Personal growth and self-help.
Bibliography
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- Delgado Suárez, J. (2019). Be your best friend: Self-indulgence as a way to be happy.Recovered from: https://rinconpsicologia.com/se-tu-mejor-amigo-la-autoindulgencia/
- Ignisdiary (2020). Self-indulgence secondo me.Recovered from: https://www.044.eu/it/autoindulgenza-secondo-me/
- Punset, E. (2016). The Book of Little Revolutions. Barcelona: Editorial Planeta.
- Rose, L. J. (2015). 3 Self-Indulgences You Need to Start Doing Now. Recovered from: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/3-selfindulgences-you-nee_b_6965230
- Seltzer, L. F. (2016). Gives self-indulgence to self-nourishment. Recovered from: http://it.psy.co/da-auto-indulgenza-a-auto-nutrimento.html
- Vanderlyde, F. (2015). The Effects of Indulgence on Motivation and Emotions. Recovered from: http://arno.uvt.nl/show.cgi? fid = 136548
